Preview: Cagliari vs Como - prediction, team news, lineups

Aiming to gatecrash Italy's top four, big-spending Como will visit mid-table Cagliari on Saturday afternoon.

The Lariani are on track for their best Serie A campaign - and could yet win the Coppa Italia - while their hosts have been inching closer to safety.

Match preview

Kicking off on Tuesday, Como's two-legged cup semi-final started with Inter Milan paying a visit to Stadio Sinigaglia, where the Lombardy rivals played out a grim goalless draw.

With neither side prepared to take many risks, the hosts spurned by far the best chance, as Alex Valle somehow missed from close range soon after half time.

The aggregate winner after next month's second leg will meet either Lazio or Atalanta in this year's Coppa Italia final, but Como must first concentrate on their top-four quest in Serie A.

Led by Cesc Fabregas, the Lariani are already contenders for Europe after less than two years back in the top flight, and consecutive wins have recently aided their cause.

After beating Juventus 2-0 for a second time this season, they saw off Lecce last weekend; as a result, they sit fifth in the table, just above Juve.

A big budget has certainly helped, but Fabregas is overseeing a vast improvement in fortunes, with his team putting 20 more points on the board than at this time last term.

Only Roma have conceded fewer goals, while Como have recently won four of their last five away matches, scoring 12 times and conceding just once.

Another victory would move them level on points with fourth-placed Roma, who play on Sunday; however, they will not have history on their side, having never won a top-flight game in Cagliari.

Most previous Serie A meetings took place several decades ago, but the clubs played out a 0-0 draw at the Sinigaglia earlier this season.

Last week, Michael Folorunsho's exquisite strike ended Cagliari's worrying goal drought - they had failed to score in any of their previous three matches - yet it was not quite enough to seal victory.

After conceding a late leveller in Parma, the Rossoblu remain at some risk of relegation; despite occupying 13th place in the standings, only six points separate them from the drop zone.

Aiming to secure their fourth straight season in Serie A, the Sardinian club must try to improve a modest home record if they are to avoid getting sucked into real danger.

So far, Fabio Pisacane's side have produced just four wins from 13 league contests in Cagliari, and their next two visitors are top-four hopefuls Como and Napoli.

Cagliari Serie A form:

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Como Serie A form:

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Como form (all competitions):

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Team News

Como's attacking options have been improved by the recent return of Assane Diao, Alvaro Morata and Martin Baturina, the latter of whom appeared as a late substitute against Inter after injury had disrupted his best spell of the season.

Only Dutch winger Jayden Addai is unavailable, with Jesus Rodriguez expected to recover from a knock and Marc-Oliver Kempf returning from a hip problem.

Tasos Douvikas should resume his role up front, after Nico Paz started as a false nine in midweek. The latter, who made his Serie A debut away to Cagliari 18 months ago, has been directly involved in five goals across his last four away games.

By contrast with their well-stocked visitors, Cagliari must cope with a long absence list.

Although Colombian centre-back Yerry Mina returns after a one-match ban and should feature alongside Como loanee Alberto Dossena, Pisacane's options elsewhere are limited.

Luca Mazzitelli, Alessandro Deiola, Gennaro Borrelli, Andrea Belotti and Mattia Felici are still ruled out, while Gianluca Gaetano continues to struggle with an adductor injury.

Cagliari possible starting lineup:

Caprile; Ze Pedro, Mina, Dossena; Palestra, Adopo, Sulemana, Folorunsho, Obert; Esposito, Kilicsoy

Como possible starting lineup:

Butez; Smolcic, Ramon, Kempf, Valle; Perrone, Da Cunha; Vojvoda, Paz, Rodriguez; Douvikas

We say: Cagliari 1-1 Como

Como have continued to impress, showing great maturity in the first leg of their cup semi-final - but Cagliari are also fighting for points and rarely roll over in Sardinia.

The hosts can scrap hard for another draw, keeping them clear of the drop zone and denting Como's Champions League dreams.

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